Incredible India, Down South Reaches Grassroot Level

Susan George - Chennai

As part of the Centre's 'Incredible India' campaign, the government is now investing in training service providers across the country. However, the focus of the programme is not the top-level executive, but those in the unorganised sector. The 'Capacity Training Programme for Service Providers' catered to taxi drivers, railway coolies and auto drivers, in a first-ever attempt to formally train them, thereby upping the service standards in the tourism industry.

In Tamil Nadu, the regional office of Indiatourism organised several 2-day workshops in Chennai, as well as smaller towns in the state, and the union territory of Pondicherry. "We're giving the grassroots level service providers training in aspects like behaviour skills, the importance of tourism, etiquette and first aid," says V Elumalai, assistant director - south, Indiatourism. Inviting eminent speakers to address the gathering of service providers, the regional office, under the regional director - south, CRV Rao, is making a concerted attempt at easing the micro-level problems.

The response from the community has been substantial, according to the Indiatourism office. In Chennai alone, about 225 service providers ended the workshop over two days. Conducted in Chennai, Trichy, Madurai, Coimbatore and Pondicherry, the workshops were said to draw a total participation of 10,000 service providers. Every participant was awarded a certificate of appreciation from the Government of India, in addition to a stipend of Rs 100 and a free meal. While only a fraction of the service-providers community may have attended the programme, Elumalai believes that it is nevertheless a good start and that the practices taught will undoubtedly seep into the community. "Maybe in time, it will become a policy for auto drivers and others to attend the workshop and obtain a certificate," he added.

The capacity training workshop comes on the heels of programmes conducted for the organised sector, with participants being travel agents, immigration officers, airport authorities and customs officials among others. In conjunction with hotel management colleges in the state, the regional Indiantourism office also organised a workshop for training hoteliers and those in the F&B industry, including a unique training session for dhaba owners.